Portland - Arthur Joseph Guerin, 80, of Rangeley Maine, passed away on November 14th, 2021, after a brief battle with COVID-19. Arthur was born January 7, 1940, in Cambridge Mass. to Norman and Margaret Guerin. He graduated from Rindge Technical H.S. and then served in the U.S. Army stationed in Texas for two years. Arthur, “Little Gear” and his beloved older brother George, “Big Gear”, who was returning from a tour in Alaska with the Army, returned home and decided to go into business together. They purchased the Flying Yankee Tavern in Newburyport, Mass., “which was a rough and tumble seaport town in those days”. They learned how to run a business and made something of themselves at a young age. Arthur then met his soulmate and the love of his life, Sylvia, who was a young mother of two boys from a previous marriage. They fell in love, and he took all three into his heart. After a few years of running the Flying Yankee, the brothers decided to sell, and Arthur and his young family made a move to New Vineyard Maine where they purchased a small farm and began a new life of subsistence farming. Arthur loved country life, raising farm animals and upland bird hunting with his much-adored line of Brittany Spaniels. Arthur loved his dogs and was of the mind to spoil them with love. “I wouldn’t think much of a bird dog that thought so little of himself to be willing to sleep on the floor instead of the couch”. In 1980, they were on the move again to a small farm located at 3779 Main Street in Rangeley, which became their permanent home. It became the site of a new business venture with his friend Huey Ware who had a background in the antiques business. Huey taught Arthur the ins and outs as they built their shop along the Route 4 roadside. The local landmark would someday become Gearsyl Antiques after Harvey’s unexpected passing and has operated at the location for 40 years.
Arthur was a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a good friend, a fair merchant a wonderful and an informed conversationalist. He was an avid reader maintaining an extensive resource library on the antique business and regional history. He was a true life-long learner and was knowledgeable about his chosen vocation, regional history and at least a little bit about quite a lot of other topics. Arthur was a friend to many and a treasured acquaintance to so many of his regular customers. He loved to chat about the region and its historic residents or some humorous or personal experience or anecdote. Arthur was a valued supporter and trusted adviser to the staff of the Rangeley Lakes Historical Society and Outdoor Heritage Museum, often helping with acquisitions and always offering fair deals on his “finds” that needed to become part of their collections. He also generously loaned treasured artifacts from his personal collection to be shared at the museum. Art always seemed to locate and purchase the “best stuff” before anyone else knew it was available. Gearsyl Antiques was in business in Rangeley for so long that Arthur often purchased some item of note and it would somehow find its way back to the shop in a purchase made years later, just to be resold again. If a customer questioned a price as being a bit high on some unique item, Arthur would patiently smile and reply, “Okay, then show me another one?” Arthur was a good and fair man and will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Arthur is survived by his loving wife of 50 years Sylvia, a stepson Stephen & his wife Lisa, a stepson Michael & his companion Diane, a sister Marie Hayes, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents Norman & Margaret and his brother George.

Cremation cared for by Wiles Remembrance Center: Adams-McFarlane Chapel 137 Farmington Falls Rd. Farmington. No services are scheduled. A Kind Word may be left in his Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com